Startup firm has ambitious augmented reality plans

Augmented reality is the ethereal name given to the newest set of mobile content applications. But once you get past the description, the application –which fuses relevant digital information with the real-world environment—is fairly concrete. In fact, the best example of augmented reality may be beer-maker Stella Artois’ iPhone application, which overlays a list of bars in the area with physical maps so people can scout out nearby bars and read reviews about the establishments.
While augmented reality apps are still nascent, QderoPateo, a startup company from a guy in China and a guy in the U.S., want to take the application to its next level – that of Articulated Naturality, which relies on full image recognition of one’s environment and location-based services for an augmented reality solution. Users are able to interact with their physical environment directly through their handheld device, while being presented relevant information in real-time. The company is working with financial advisers Menza Partners, led by former Sprint CEO Paul Saleh, to showcase the application this summer in the United States and China. QderoPateo is hoping to do more than just introduce new applications; it plans to create an operating platform and device to properly demonstrate the things that can be done using Articulated Naturality. While the plans are pretty ambitious, the company has funding to work on the project.
“The ultimate augmented reality experience blends into the real-world environment in a perfect way so you don’t notice the difference between the real world and the virtual world,” said founder Steve Chao. “You point your camera at something and the device will tell you what you are looking at.” The company sees a variety of applications that can come from this technology. People can point at the store on the corner and virtually go inside to see what’s on sale. “It will change social networking too.” Say a couple decides to go to Las Vegas to elope. They can announce it to friends and family via social networking sites, and the family and friends can participate in the ceremony, regardless of where they are in the world,” said QderoPateo’s Matt Gaines. Eventually an avatar could check out the surrounding environment for you.
Chao has experience with augmented reality, having created an augmented reality mobile marketing campaign for the World Wildlife Federation in China that used a digital bear that interacts with the real world. The campaign was aimed at Chinese urban youth, who in general are not connected to the rural environment that wildlife needs to survive. Meshing the digital bear with the real world, people could use their phones to watch the bear get run over by cars, fall down stairs and generally interact poorly with an urban environment. The serious message behind the two-week campaign worked: traffic to the WFF site more than tripled and memberships doubled. The initiative impressed Gaines, who then tracked Chao down. After talking about the potential of augmented reality for about a year, the two decided to meet in New York’s Time Square to formalize the company. They plan to meet next year to celebrate the company’s next steps.